Tensions Persist Over Sabina Shoal Amid Manila-Beijing Talks

The Philippines remains firm on its stance regarding Sabina Shoal while seeking to ease tensions through discussions with China. During talks, both nations reaffirmed their positions and explored cooperation mechanisms. The contested shoal lies within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone and has been a flashpoint due to suspected Chinese reclamation activities.

The Philippines will maintain its position on Sabina Shoal, the government stated on Thursday, even while exploring ways to ease tension in the area through candid talks with China concerning disputes in the South China Sea.

The nation's ongoing activities at the shoal, intended to monitor what it believes are China's small-scale reclamation projects, have provoked Beijing, marking the shoal as the latest flashpoint in the contested waters. In discussions held Wednesday, China asserted its sovereignty and repeated calls for the immediate removal of a Philippine coast guard ship stationed at the shoal since April.

Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Theresa Lazaro emphasized the country's consistent position and sought avenues to reduce tension. Both parties agreed to continue discussions on various cooperative fronts, including hotline mechanisms, coast guard collaboration, and marine scientific efforts.

The dialogue, described as frank and candid, underscores the shoal's significance, located 150 kilometers west of Palawan, within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. The two nations have traded accusations over maritime incidents, including ramming vessels, complicating their negotiations further. While China claims most of the South China Sea, overlapping with other nations' maritime zones, a 2016 Hague tribunal invalidated Beijing's extensive claims, which China dismisses. The Philippine navy recently reported monitoring 207 Chinese vessels within their EEZ, with many near Sabina Shoal.

(With inputs from agencies.)